TheLordhad spoken to Moses. He had said, “I
will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you
and your people go. When he does, he will drive you completely away.

耶和华对摩西说：“我再使一样的灾殃临到法老和埃及，然后他必容你们离开这地。他容你们去的时候，总要催逼你们都从这地出去。

4 Moses
said, “TheLordsays, ‘About midnight I will go through
every part of Egypt.5 Every
oldest son in Egypt will die. The oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on the
throne, will die. The oldest son of the female slave, who works at her hand
mill, will die. All of the male animals that were born first to their mothers
among the cattle will also die.6 There
will be loud crying all over Egypt. It will be worse than it’s ever been
before. And nothing like it will ever be heard again.

7 “‘But
among the people of Israel not even one dog will bark at any man or animal.’
Then you will know that theLordtreats Egypt differently from us.

TheLordspoke
to Moses and Aaron in Egypt.2 He
said, “From now on, this month will be your first month. Each of your years
will begin with it.

3 “Speak
to the whole community of Israel. Tell them that on the tenth day of this month
each man must get a lamb from his flock. A lamb should be chosen for each
family and home.

4 “Suppose
there are not enough people in your family to eat a whole lamb. Then you must
share some of it with your nearest neighbor. You must add up the total number
of people there are. You must decide how much lamb is needed for each person.

5 “The
animals you choose must be males that are a year old. They must not have any
flaws. You may choose either sheep or goats.

DoyouremembertheramthatGodprovidedtodieinsteadofIsaac?Theramwas caughtbyitshornsinthebushsothatitcouldnotinjureitselfbystrugglingtoget free.Ifithadbeeninjured,itwouldnothavebeenanacceptableofferingtoGod. God
would only accept a healthy, strong
animal as a sacrifice.

BecauseGodisperfect,Hewillonlyacceptwhatisperfect.Hewouldneveraccept ananimalthatwassickorhurt,soHetoldtheIsraelitesthattheheadofeachhome was to choose a lamb without blemish.

•They
must kill the lamb and catch its blood ina
basin.

ReadExodus12:6.

6 Take care of them until the 14th day of the month. Then the
whole community of Israel must kill them when the sun goes down.

6 要留到本月十四日，在黄昏的时候，以色列全会众把羊羔宰了。

Thelambwastobekeptuntilthefourteenthdayofthemonth.Theyweretokill the lamb in the evening of that day.

•The
lamb had to die.

Thelamb’sblood,onwhichitslifedepended,hadtoflowout.Thiswastoremind the Israelitesthat the punishment for sin is
death.

22 Get a
branch of a hyssop plant. Dip it into the blood in the bowl. Put some of the
blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you can go out the
door of your house until morning.

23 “TheLordwill go
through the land to strike the Egyptians down. He’ll see the blood on the top
and sides of the doorframe. He will pass over that house. He won’t let the
destroying angel enter your homes to kill you.

God told the
Israelites that, when they killedthelamb,theyweretocatchtheblood inabasin.Thentheyweretotakeabranchfromaparticularbush,dipitintothe blood,anduseittoapplythebloodtotheirdoorposts.

Aftertheyappliedthebloodtothedoorposts,theIsraelitesweretostayinsidetheir housesuntilthemorning.Itwasjustasiftheyweretohidebehindthebloodofthe lamb
which God said they must killinordertosavetheirfirstborn.

•They
must not break any of the lamb’s bones.

ReadExodus12:46.

46“It must be eaten inside a house. Do not take any of the meat
outside. Do not break any of the bones.

46应当在一个房子里吃，不可把一点肉从房子里带到外头去。羊羔的骨头一根也不可折断。

They were not
to break the bones of the animal when
they killed it or ate it.

12“That
same night I will pass through Egypt. I will strike down every oldest son. I
will also kill all of the male animals that were born first to their mothers.
And I will judge all of the gods of Egypt. I am theLord.

13“The
blood on your houses will be a sign for you. When I see the blood, I will pass
over you. No deadly plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

14“Always
remember this day. For all time to come, you and your children after you must
celebrate this day as a feast in honor of theLord.It is a
law that will last forever.

ReadExodus12:28.

28 They did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

28 耶和华怎样吩咐摩西、亚伦，以色列人就怎样行。

5.All the
Egyptians’ firstborn died.

ReadExodus12:29-30.

29 At midnight the LORD struck down every oldest son in Egypt. He killed the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne. He killed all of the oldest sons of prisoners, who were in prison. He also killed all of the male animals that were born first to their mothers among the livestock.

30 Pharaoh and all of his officials got up during the night. So did all of the Egyptians. There was loud crying in Egypt because someone had died in every home.

The Lord
passed through Egypt just as He said Hewould.
He always does what He says.Hedoesn’tmerelythreatenandthennotcarryoutHisthreats.WhenGod decidestopunishsinners,thereisnowaytoescape.

EveryfirstbornEgyptianchildandthefirstbornofalltheEgyptians’livestock
died.ButbecausetheIsraeliteshadputthebloodontheirhousesinobedienceto the Lord, not one of their firstborn children or livestock died.

GodalwaysdoeswhatHesays.HesaidHewoulddestroythefirstborninthe
Egyptianhomes,andHedid.HesaidHewouldpassovereveryhousewhereHe saw
the blood, and He did. The Lord can be trusted to do everything He says.

6.Pharaoh told
the Israelites to go.

ReadExodus12:31-33.

31 During the night, Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. He said to them, “Get out of here! You and the Israelites, leave my people! Go. Worship the LORD, just as you have asked. 32 Go. Take your flocks and herds, just as you have said. And also give me your blessing.”

33 The Egyptians begged the people of Israel to hurry up and leave the country. “If you don’t,” they said, “we’ll all die!”